Diomede I like your scalextric track and had a go myself ...
For this I created an oval shape, stretched it in one direction only, smoothed it, soft selected one point and rotated it 180 degrees, removed all facets and used the resultant polyline as a basis for my track much the same as you did. I haven't UV unfolded it yet...
Your track looks great. Using the ovals gives it a cleaner and more symmetrical look.
i dont understand how they modelled this. the quads don't look pinched. ?
The individual elements look like straightforward objects. Making them fit together may have been an issue, but I think it is largel a matter of patience, assuming that each shape is a separate mesh. I'll do a test later this week.
OK, I've had some more fun making a toy race track. I want it to be both a toy race track, and then a fantasy race track. So here I've had a go at making a track that fits a terrain object.
Part 1 - the new vertex figure 8 track model.
- following Selinita and Stezza (thank you both), I made a new track. Minor differences from the first track include bridge supports for the crossover.
- started with an improved cross section that will not need to "add thickness." Used polyline tool to make hollow U-shaped cross section.
- for the sweep path, started with two ovals, emptied polygons, deleted the halves facing each other, then linked opposite points to create the figure 8 sweep path.
- I raised one line where they cross for the bridge.
- Selected the U-shaped cross section, applied the sweep tool and selected the figure 8 polyline to get the base track mesh.
- Created shader domains for the track bottom, outside walls, top of walls, inside walls, surface lanes and surface base.
- UVmapped the track, separating and straightening the track into 4 basic areas. The four are 2 long strips and 2 curved ends.
- I applied a perpendicular procedural shader to make sure UVs were approximately OK.
Part 2 -the landscape that fits the figure 8.
- In Carrara, I applied a white texture to the track and placed against a black plane and background
- Inserted a new camera, set the render to square dimensions, and rendered out the top view of the track.
- In my image editor, I painted a rough landscape arund the figure 8 test render.
- I selected the track, then used invert selection to select everything except the track. I applied a blur filter to get my base heightmap.
- I also created other blurred maps to add terrain features because you can load more than one heightmap in the same terrain model. In this case, I added hills.
- In Carrara, I inserted a terrain adjusted the preview and render quality, andimported my base blurred heightmap
- I resized the terrain so that the figure 8 fit the area reserved for it.
- I imported the hills as a second heightmap. The hills heightmap is entirely black where the figure 8 would be.
- I did a test render with default shaders for the terrain.
aa02 render settings square for landscape.JPG
1555 x 795 - 88K
bb01 rough terrai around the figure 8 track.JPG
1599 x 802 - 107K
test blurred landscape for figure 8.jpg
1024 x 1024 - 68K
test add more hills o te landscape with additional layers 01.jpg
1024 x 1024 - 43K
test render of track on landscape.jpg
740 x 480 - 43K
dd01 new racetrack profile will avoid add thickness.JPG
OK, I've had some more fun making a toy race track. I want it to be both a toy race track, and then a fantasy race track. So here I've had a go at making a track that fits a terrain object.
Part 1 - the new vertex figure 8 track model.
- following Selinita and Stezza (thank you both), I made a new track. Minor differences from the first track include bridge supports for the crossover.
- started with an improved cross section that will not need to "add thickness." Used polyline tool to make hollow U-shaped cross section.
- for the sweep path, started with two ovals, emptied polygons, deleted the halves facing each other, then linked opposite points to create the figure 8 sweep path.
- I raised one line where they cross for the bridge.
- Selected the U-shaped cross section, applied the sweep tool and selected the figure 8 polyline to get the base track mesh.
- Created shader domains for the track bottom, outside walls, top of walls, inside walls, surface lanes and surface base.
- UVmapped the track, separating and straightening the track into 4 basic areas. The four are 2 long strips and 2 curved ends.
- I applied a perpendicular procedural shader to make sure UVs were approximately OK.
Part 2 -the landscape that fits the figure 8.
- In Carrara, I applied a white texture to the track and placed against a black plane and background
- Inserted a new camera, set the render to square dimensions, and rendered out the top view of the track.
- In my image editor, I painted a rough landscape arund the figure 8 test render.
- I selected the track, then used invert selection to select everything except the track. I applied a blur filter to get my base heightmap.
- I also created other blurred maps to add terrain features because you can load more than one heightmap in the same terrain model. In this case, I added hills.
- In Carrara, I inserted a terrain adjusted the preview and render quality, andimported my base blurred heightmap
- I resized the terrain so that the figure 8 fit the area reserved for it.
- I imported the hills as a second heightmap. The hills heightmap is entirely black where the figure 8 would be.
- I did a test render with default shaders for the terrain.
you ever try to loop an edge instead of completing the ring it zigs instead of zag
Yes, sometimes the angles are confusing the loop comand. It usually happens to me at a "pole" vertex, which is a point with more than 4 edges connected (or less). Here is an example of a pole connecting 5 edges..
Poles can be a useful way to redirect edge loops. They have a vertex with more than 4 edges, but that doesn't mean there are any N-Gons in the model. There is a discussion of poles and edge loops starting at about the 4:45 mark of the following video and going on for a bit.
Here's another way that edge loops go wonky. When you have a cap on the end of a cylinder, that cap is normally an ngon. But the edge around it is a single loop. You can select that loop, and bevel it etc. But somewhere along the line, you're going to have an irrepressable urge to convert that ngon into quads or tris. A common technique for this is to make spokes (select the poly, then Tesselate Vertex to Centre). All well and good, and we still have our edge loops. But we've got triangles, not quads. And in a big model, why settle for 36 tris when we could have just 16 quads? Especially if we've got lots of them. Fewer polys = less memory, right? So what a lot of modellrs will do is select alternate spokes and delete them.
Splendid! And oh so efficient. Let's pat ourselves on the back.
Oh wait, I forgot to UV map it (say), and now I want to select that edge loop to make a seam . . . . . . Oh dear. I might have just 18 quads, but I've lost that lovely edge loop!
(illustration not from Carrara, but the point applies to pretty much any modeller)
Comments
I had a go at the track as well.... I used the circle line tool... stretched it then deleted the middle polylines
used the curve line tool to join diagonal opposite points then raised one line to get the overpass..
used the polyline tool to get the u shape for the track and used the path sweep tool to create the track. Adjusted the shape using soft select.
Your track looks great. Using the ovals gives it a cleaner and more symmetrical look.
Another great method. Love the exhaust emmitted from your cool car.
i dont understand how they modelled this. the quads don't look pinched. ?
The individual elements look like straightforward objects. Making them fit together may have been an issue, but I think it is largel a matter of patience, assuming that each shape is a separate mesh. I'll do a test later this week.
OK, I've had some more fun making a toy race track. I want it to be both a toy race track, and then a fantasy race track. So here I've had a go at making a track that fits a terrain object.
Part 1 - the new vertex figure 8 track model.
- following Selinita and Stezza (thank you both), I made a new track. Minor differences from the first track include bridge supports for the crossover.
- started with an improved cross section that will not need to "add thickness." Used polyline tool to make hollow U-shaped cross section.
- for the sweep path, started with two ovals, emptied polygons, deleted the halves facing each other, then linked opposite points to create the figure 8 sweep path.
- I raised one line where they cross for the bridge.
- Selected the U-shaped cross section, applied the sweep tool and selected the figure 8 polyline to get the base track mesh.
- Created shader domains for the track bottom, outside walls, top of walls, inside walls, surface lanes and surface base.
- UVmapped the track, separating and straightening the track into 4 basic areas. The four are 2 long strips and 2 curved ends.
- I applied a perpendicular procedural shader to make sure UVs were approximately OK.
Part 2 -the landscape that fits the figure 8.
- In Carrara, I applied a white texture to the track and placed against a black plane and background
- Inserted a new camera, set the render to square dimensions, and rendered out the top view of the track.
- In my image editor, I painted a rough landscape arund the figure 8 test render.
- I selected the track, then used invert selection to select everything except the track. I applied a blur filter to get my base heightmap.
- I also created other blurred maps to add terrain features because you can load more than one heightmap in the same terrain model. In this case, I added hills.
- In Carrara, I inserted a terrain adjusted the preview and render quality, andimported my base blurred heightmap
- I resized the terrain so that the figure 8 fit the area reserved for it.
- I imported the hills as a second heightmap. The hills heightmap is entirely black where the figure 8 would be.
- I did a test render with default shaders for the terrain.
Another view of track.
too much fun, wonderful out come - loved the workflow with the uveeing thanks!
What awesome take on the track, absolutely love the flaming car and compositions layout
Thanks for the comments, headwax et al.
Agreed, Stezza does an amazing job, and is so prolific! I am always stunned.
Here is a new car chassis. I am doing the tires separately so that I can use the spin modifier instead of using a morph to spin the tires.
Mesh plus UV map. Test render with checker procedural. Should be easy to morph and texture to get a few different toy cars.
Looking good !!!
thanks for the kudos
you are all too kind....
hi Ted who's Al? :)
yes Stezza, we arent too kind - you do amazing stuff
This is stunning and crafty work Diomede, Stezza and Selinita.
Thanks Diomede for the details. Genius.
A way to tske a bite out of a food obj?
Ooo is rich and buttery
sometimes when i;m modeling, edge loop goes wonky
i dunno how to fix it cept to start over
In Hexagon, can use the UV smoothing tool to actually fix mesh to some degree. No similar tool in Carrara that I'm aware of.
.
you ever try to loop an edge instead of completing the ring it zigs instead of zag
Yes, sometimes the angles are confusing the loop comand. It usually happens to me at a "pole" vertex, which is a point with more than 4 edges connected (or less). Here is an example of a pole connecting 5 edges..
.
chevking the hover throne for n gons
thanks for the tips
Poles can be a useful way to redirect edge loops. They have a vertex with more than 4 edges, but that doesn't mean there are any N-Gons in the model. There is a discussion of poles and edge loops starting at about the 4:45 mark of the following video and going on for a bit.
Here's another way that edge loops go wonky. When you have a cap on the end of a cylinder, that cap is normally an ngon. But the edge around it is a single loop. You can select that loop, and bevel it etc. But somewhere along the line, you're going to have an irrepressable urge to convert that ngon into quads or tris. A common technique for this is to make spokes (select the poly, then Tesselate Vertex to Centre). All well and good, and we still have our edge loops. But we've got triangles, not quads. And in a big model, why settle for 36 tris when we could have just 16 quads? Especially if we've got lots of them. Fewer polys = less memory, right? So what a lot of modellrs will do is select alternate spokes and delete them.
Splendid! And oh so efficient. Let's pat ourselves on the back.
Oh wait, I forgot to UV map it (say), and now I want to select that edge loop to make a seam . . . . . . Oh dear. I might have just 18 quads, but I've lost that lovely edge loop!
(illustration not from Carrara, but the point applies to pretty much any modeller)
i DID tesselate spokes. it all went chaos theory after that.
started the hover throne as a disk.
.
Looking great.